Hand-truck



(No Model.) v

H. 0. THOMAS.

HAND TRUCK. I I 'No. 509,054. Patented Noiv zl, 1893 W/TNESSW 1INVENTOI? ZQMM MW ATTORNEY.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O. THOMAS, OF KIMBALL, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF SEVEN-TENTHS TOLEOPOLD MOSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. V

HAND-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,054, dated November21, 1893.

Application filed April 20,1893- To all whom/it may concern: Be it knownthat I, HENRY O. THOMAS, of

Kimball, in the county of Kimball and State.

of Nebraska, have invented certain useful Improvements in Trucks; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others .skilled in theart to which it apportains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying draw-- In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1- showsa top view of a hand truck, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of my truck, with partsbroken away showing it in the positionof lifting a load. Fig. 3shows a broken portion of one of the leverarms, showing the arrangement of the pawl and ratchet; while Fig. 4shows the spring catch as used in my device for holding the drop spur.

A. A. represent the main bars or braces of my improved truck which areconnected by means of the transverse bars 1 and 2, as usual in devicesof this class; figure 3 represents an ordinarymain supporting shaftwhich is provided with the usual supporting wheels 4, 4, which aremounted upon the shaft 3 and are adapted to work within the frames A.Each of these wheels 4 is provided with a ratchet 5 which is secured tothe wheel and is adapted to be engaged by a pawl secured to the framesA.

At the upper or handle end of the truck, I further provide thetransverse roll B of any suitable material and size, which is, also,provided with a ratchet-wheel 6 at one end adapted to be engaged by thepawl 7; this pawl and ratchet are so arranged that the load sliding uponthis roll B may be'carried toward the handles, but do not permit theroll revolving in the opposite direction while the pawl is within theratchet. Secured to the braces A, near the lower end, are the twoangular supporting brackets C, which are Serial No. 471,233. (No model.)

preferably of strap iron and encompass the two sides of these bars A andare rigidly secured thereto by means of the bolts 8 and 9. Workingwithin each of the arms 0, at the upper end thereof is a transverseshaft D passing through each of the brackets and giving support to anauxiliary roll E, which is movably held between these arms 0 O. Thisroll E is provided at each end with a ratchet l0 and 11, one being aright-handed and the other a left-handed ratchet'adapted to beengaged bythe pawls 12 and 13, so that said roll E can be either secured in afixed position or permitted to revolve either forward or backward.Mounted upon the shaft D and between the brackets U are the two curvedshoes F, of any suitable material which are pivotly mounted upon thisshaft D and normally rest. against the forward portion of the brackets 0so that the said shoes are held in I their open positions as is shown inFig. 2.

.Lengthwise' within the frames 1 and 2 is a rod 15 upon which is movablyheld a drop spur 16, provided with a suitable collar 17 by means ofwhich said drop spur is operated. Secured to the brace 2 is an ordinaryrecurved spring 18, by means of which said drop spur can b secured tothe frame 2, as shown in Fig. 4.. This spurlis adapted to slide upon therod 15 from end to end. 7 r

This truckv can be made .in any suitable length and of any. suitablewidth and the roller E, if necessary, can be divided into severalsections and the main shaft 3 can, also, be provided with two or moresupporting wheels; also, any number of extra shoes could be provided.

The device is further susceptible to inodification in that one of theframe pieces A could be made sufficiently large and strong and providedat the bottom with one supporting wheel, roll and shoe so that thedevice could be used as a tool in lifting heavy loads. In thismodification, thewheel 4 could be given any suitable support and, ifnecessary, could be mounted directly below the bar A.

When the device has been properly arranged and constructed, theoperation of my device will be as follows: In raising a heavy box, forinstance, the braces A would,be preferably held in a perpendicularposition du too ing which the truck would be supported by means of theroll E, as will be understood by referring to Fig. 2, where the line X Xwould represent the ground line and showing the truck at the instant theshoes .were being forced below the load Z to raise the same. As soon asthese shoes had been forced under the load the handles would be carrieddownward, which would permit the roll E to ride toward and under theload until the larger wheels 4 were engaged when the load would becarried by these wheels, the handles being depressed until the load isheld in position,

as shown in Fig. 2. This could be readily accomplished as the wheels 4are only permitted to revolve in one direction and so would feed forwardby means of their respective ratchets. As soon as the load had beenraised a sufficient height, as shown in Fig. 2, for instance, the truckcould be suddenly forced forward, which would carry the shoes F intotheir closed positions, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2.These shoes would fall in and rest between the brackets O, the

load then,of course, being carried by the roll E. Now, in theirarrangement, the wheels 4 would be permitted to go in one direction, as

indicated by the arrow, while the roll E is permitted to revolve in theopposite direction, as shown by the arrow indicating the properdirections. Now, as the load would rest upon the rollE, it would simplybe necessary to alternately raise and lower the braces A, by means ofwhich the roll E and wheels 4 would be alternately fed forward, lockedand so ride under the load until the same were overbalanced and wouldride upon the truck handles A. 111 feeding forward, for instance, incarrying the bars A. upward, the roll E would feed forward at theinstant that the handles were carried downward; this roll.

E -would be locked and the wheels 4 would feed forward and, in this way,work itself by a feed movement under the load. After the load has beencarried up a suitable distance upon the truck proper, the drop spur isreleased and in falling would impinge itself upon the box and so aid inholding the load. If desired, the rolls E and B, as well as the main.wheels 4, maybe slightly corrugated.

The device is noticeable because of its extreme simplicity.

Having thus described my said invention,

' what I claim as new, and desire to secure by wheels, said wheels beingprovided with pawls and ratchets of an auxiliary frame secured to themain frame proper and provided with a transverse roll, said roll havingpawls and ratchets adapted to feed in a direction opposite to thatof themain wheels, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a main supporting frame provided with suitableWheels, said wheels having pawls and ratchets of an aux 'iliary framefixed to said main frame and provided with a shaft, giving support to aroll, said roll being provided with a right and lefthanded pawl andratchet and two shoes pivotally sccu red to said main shaft, allsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination witha suitable frame, provided with two supportingwheels, having. pawls and ratchets fixed brackets secured to said frame,provided with a transverse roller having right and left handed ratchets,shoes pivotally secured to a shaft supporting said transverse roll, anda transverse roll within the upper end of said frame provided with apawl and ratchet and a rod secured within said frame provided with adropspur, all arranged substantially as and for :the purpose set forth.V

4. The combination with a suitable frame provided with main supportingwheels, said Wheels having pawls and ratchets permitting rotation in onedirection and an auxiliary frame secured to said main frame providedwith a roll having pawls and ratchets permitting rotary motion im adirection opposite to that of the main wheels and pivotal shoes securedwithin said auxiliary frame and the .drop spur 1,7 and the secondaryroll B provided with suitable ratchets,.all substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. In a hand truck, the combination of the vmain frame A, having bracesl, 2, the main supporting shaft 3, provided with thewheels 4, havingpawls and ratchets, the fixed arms Osecured to said frame A,provided'with the shaft D, the roll E mounted upon said shaft andprovided with the pawls and ratchets 1O,

11, 12 and 13' and the shoes F pivoted upon.

the shaft D, and adapted to operate substantially asand for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY O. THOMAS.

Witnesses: V l

, F. B. RODEFER,

G. W. Suits.

